Bumper



May 19, 1925.

C. GIRL BUMPER Filed July 25, 1925.

Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN GIRI., or xALAMAzOO, MICHIGAN, AssIeNoR ro THE c. e. sPRINea BUMPER COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUMPER.

citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bumpers, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to bumpers for automobiles and like vehicles and has for its general object to provide a novel and effective construction for bumpers which will enable the latter to receive and withstand all 16 ordinary blows or shocks to which such bumpers are liable. A further object of the invention is to produce as bumper of this kind which is attractive in appearance and relatively cheap to produce. Further vand more limited objects of the invention will appear in the descriptive part of this specification and will be realized by the combinations Of elements embodied in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part thereof, Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a bumper constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 a front elevation of the bumper shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a 4detail in section corresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; 90 and Figs. 4 and 5 sectional details corresponding respectively to the line 4-4 and 5 5 of Figs. 3 and 2, respectively.

Describing the various partsA by reference characters, 1 denotes generally a rear or auxiliary section of my bumper, the said section comprising a bar, preferably a continuous spring plate, having its central portion projected forwardly in a. flattened V- shape, as shown at l and l", the end portions of the plate being bent into loops 2, the front ends 3 of the plate projecting toward each other but spaced apart. On. opposite sides of the central portion, the bar l is provided with transversely extendingr portions 1 each `constituting a member for receiving a clip or other means for attaching the bumper to the side members (not shown).

'I he front ends of this rear or auxiliary widened impact-receiving section. This impact-receiving section consists generally of a plurality of vertically spaced bars, four such bars being shown, preferably square in section, and forming, when assembled, a

corresponding ends of the other bar.

bar or plate support the Opposite ends of a v Application l'ed July 23, 11923. Serial No.L 653,144.

long substantially oval impact section. The external top and bottom bars 4are substantially identical in construction, but are oppositely placed so thatv the upwardly projected portion of the upper bar is opposed to a corresponding downwardly projected portion of the lower bar,l these central projected portions 4 being parallel to each other and tothe bar 1. Each' of these bars is provided with `portions 4b which project from the central portion 4a toward the similarly inclined portions 4b of the other bar. The extreme end portions l4" of each of these bars are still further deiected toward the Within the uppermost and lowermost bars 4 are located the intermediate bars 5. Each of these bars extends substantially parallel throughout its length with the bar 4 above and below the same, respectively, each having a central portion 5 parallel with the `portions 4a; also portions 5b parallel with,

the portions 4b of the corresponding bar V4 adjacent thereto; contacting portions 5 engaging each other at the longitudinal axis of the bumper; and outward y diverging extreme end portions 5d.

In order to anchor the bars 4 and 5 to the ends 3 of the rear or auxiliary bar, the following construction is provided 6 denotes a pair of outer or front clamping plates each having an Outer end 6a, the sides whereof converge toward each other, and a narrow inwardly expanded rear' end 6b. Each plate 6 is provided with a mar- 90 ginal flange 6c extending -therearound, but f provided with slots 6d and 6 for the reception of the'parts 4b parts 5b of the bars 5. The flange at the inner portion of each plate is widened, as shown at 6f, to provide an extended seat for the lower surface yof the part 4h of the upper bar 4 and for the upper surface of the part 4b of the lower bar 4. The upper and lower surfaces of the parts 4b of said bars, respec- 100 tively, bear against the upper and the lower tapered parts of the ange 6. This flange is deected inwardly, as shown at 6K, to provide seats for the upper and lower surfaces of the parts 4, and the opposite surfaces of 105 such parts are engaged by the adjacent sides of the squared portion 7"of a clamping bolt 7.

The flange 6c is also extended inwardly from the slots 6, thereby to provide extend- 110 of the barsv 4 and the ed' bearings forthe upper surfaces ofthe parts 5 and 5d ofthe upper bar 5 andfor the lower surfaces of the same parts of the lower bar 5. The divergent ends 5i are held in engagement with their cooperating seats by means .of the adjacent sides of the squared portion 8a of a bolt 8, the bolts 7 and 8 serving jointly to secure a cover plate 9 to the clamping plate-6 and both plates to. the ends 3 of the bar 1.

.The central portion 1b of the rearaux iliary plate 1 is deflected forwardly a suficient distance to align it with the bars 4 and 5, whereby the central portion of said plate Aand the central portions of saidbars may be conveniently clamped together and the rear bar serve as a truss for the front or impact section. The clamp is shown indetail (Figs.

l, 2 and 5), and comprises a front plate 10 having recessed seats projectingforwardly from the rear face thereof for the parts 4f?, 5x1 and l", with a rear plate 11 clamped to the front plate by means of bolts 12 located -between the bars 4a and 5va and between the last mentioned bars and the plate 1.

The construction illustrated and described vherein provides a simple and efiicient bumper of the type having a widened central impact portion; and one which can be conveniently and quickly assembled and disassembled and one which is adapted to withstand the ordinary incidents of use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A bumper comprising a rear or auxiliary section having a bar provided with ends bent forwardly .toward and spaced fromveach other and with a. forwardly projected central portion, and an impact section comprising symmetrical external upper and lower bars each having a central portion extending substantially parallel with and vertically spaced from the auxiliary bar and pro'ecting respectively v above and a below suc bar, each of the impact bars having-i ends directed toward the ends of the other impact bar, and intermediate upper and lower impact bars interposed between the first mentioned bars and located respectively above and below the auxiliary bar and each having a centralportion spaced from and.

extending substantially parallel with .the central ortiQn of its adjacent external bar and eacfi having `also end portions that are presented toward the end portions of the op-posed intermediate bar, theend portions of the intermediate bars being substantially parallel .with the end portions of their respective adjacent external bars, means connecting the ends of the impact bars to the ends of the auxiliary bar, and means connecting the central portions of the said bars.

2. A bumper comprising a pair of attaching members, an impact section comprising symmetrical external upper and lower bars each having a portion projected above and below said members, respectively, and inter- `mediate upper and lower bars lnterposed beend portions projecting toward the end portions ofthe other intermediate bar and each having contacting end portions beyond the first mentioned end portions and diverging end portionsbeyond the last mentioned end portions, and means for securing the vends of the impact section to the said members, said means comprising a clamping plate having seats adapted to receive and interlock withthe ends of the impact'bars cooperating therewith, a cooperating clamp.- ing plate, and bolts connecting said plates. A

4.v A bumper comprising a pair -of attaching members, an impact section extending between said members and comprising an upper and a lower external impact bar each having ends projected toward the ends of .the other, with' the extreme end portions further deflected .toward each other, intermediate upper and lower impact bars interl of one of such intermediate bars -diverging from the like endportion of the other bar,

a clamping plate for each end of the impact section an'deachhaving seats adapted to engage the upper and lower surfaces of the end portions of the impact bars, a cooperating clamping plateadapted to. be secured to each of the first mentioned plates, andbolts connecting the said plates, one of suchbolts havinga squared portion the adjacent surfaces of which are adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the end portions ofy the external-bars and another of said bolts `having a squared portion, the adjacent surfaces vof which are adapted to engage the adjacent inner surfaces of the extreme .end-,portions of the intermediate bars.-

5. A bumperl comprising a pair of attaching members, an impact section extending between said members and comprising an upper lns waaien impact'bars and each having end portions projecting toward the end portions of the' other intermediate bar,A said intermediate bars contacting beyond vsuch end portions and having extreme end portions diverging from each other, a clamping plate for each end of the impact section and each having seats adapted to engage the upper and lower surfaces of the extreme endl portionsl of the4 impact bars and like surfaces of the contacting portions of the intermediate bars, aV cooperating clamping plate adapted to be secured to each of the first mentioned plates, and one or more bolts connecting the said plates, one of such bolts having a squared portion the adjacent surfaces of which are adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the divergent end portions of the intermediate bars.

6. Albumper comprising a pair of attach ing members, an impact section extending between said members, said section comprising external upper and lower bars each having ends presented toward the ends of the.4

otherbar,vintermediate upper Yand lower bars interposed between the external bars i and each having end portions adapted to Aan contact with corresponding end portionsof the other bar, the eXtreme end portions of such intermediate bars diverging from Aeach other', and means for securing the ends of said bars to said attaching members, said means comprising a clamping plate for each end of the `impact section, each clamping plate having seats for the end portions and their seats.

7. A bumper comprising a pair ofattaching members, an impact section extendirm' between said members, said section comprisin;r external upper and lower bars each having ends presented toward the ends of the other bar, intermediate upper and lower bars interposed betweenI the .external bars vand each'having an extreme end portion adjacentto and diverging from the like portion of the other bar, and meansfor securing the ends of said bars to said attaching members, 'said means comprising a clamping plate for each end of the 'impact section, each clamping plate having seats for the end portions of the said bars,l a cover plate cooperating with each clamping plate, and one or more bolts for securing the said clampingplates to the said members, one

of su'ch bolts being interposed between and cooperating with 'the diverging ends of the intermediate members to hold such ends anchored'against their seats.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my i signature.

CHRISTIAN GIRL- 

